Light of My Life

Designs On— Birth

By Nicholas Zambetti

Life is time, and time is precious. Birthday celebrations cast light on both of these basic principles.

So, if each passing year is marked by a 24-hour period of revelry and reflection, perhaps newborns ought to be presented with a lifetime set of birthday candles? Think of them as “personal insight lights.” As children grow older, they can monitor or make note of their diminishing number of candles—and consider the fleeting and ephemeral nature of life. It might just provide the necessary impetus for them to seize the day, take initiative, or exploit opportunities to maximize life itself.

Too heady? Well, at the very least, the lifetime set would save recipients from ever having to buy their own birthday candles.